19.2 Purpose, Authority and Compensation

19.2.1 An advisory committee exists solely for the purpose of evaluating the FHSAA program(s) with which it is charged. In achieving its purpose, the committee shall review FHSAA regulations which govern the program(s); offer to the Board of Directors recommendations for change to such regulations as it deems appropriate; and offer advice and guidance to the Board of Directors and staff.

19.2.2 An advisory committee shall have no direct authority to establish guidelines, regulations, policies or procedures; and its decisions and recommendations shall not be final unless adopted by the Board of Directors in general session.

19.2.3 An item must pass an advisory committee by simple majority vote to be referred to the Board of Directors. A tie vote among voting members on any item shall defeat the item.

19.2.4 An item first passed by an advisory committee shall be publicized for one year until the next regularly scheduled meeting of that advisory committee in the following school year. At this meeting, the advisory committee will reconsider the item for second passage. Upon second passage, the item will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the Board of Directors. The Executive Director, however, may authorize that a recommendation be fast-tracked through the process if he/she determines the recommendation to be essential to the betterment of the program. Any item not passed may not be re-introduced for a minimum of two calendar years.

19.4 Sports Advisory Committees

19.4.1 Committees. There shall be an advisory committee in each sport in which the FHSAA sanctions a Florida High School State Championships competition. Currently, these sports are baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, girls volleyball, boys weightlifting and wrestling.

19.4.2 Composition. Each sport advisory committee shall be comprised of 10 individuals – two member school head coaches from each of the Association’s four administrative sections, the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) state chairperson in that sport if he/she is not elected to represent a section, and a member of the Officials Advisory Committee in an ex-officio capacity. In sports in which there are both girls and boys teams, representation on the committee shall be one-half girls team coaches and one-half boys team coaches. The FHSAA staff shall establish a rotation to ensure such equitable gender representation.

19.4.3 Elections. Each sport advisory committee member will be elected by their peers from each of the Association’s four administrative sections.

19.4.4 Term. Each elected member and the FACA representative of the committee shall serve a term of three years and shall not be eligible to immediately succeed himself/herself. A rotation of terms shall be established to ensure that not more than one-half of the elected members’ terms expire in any given year.

19.5 Officials Advisory Committees

19.5.1 Composition. There shall be three Officials Advisory Committees, one for each of the sport seasons. The Fall Sports Officials Advisory Committee shall be comprised of officials from football and girls volleyball. The Winter Sports Officials Advisory Committee shall be comprised of officials from basketball, soccer, and wrestling. The Spring Sports Officials Advisory Committee shall be comprised of officials from baseball and softball. Each committee will be comprised of four officials from each sport, one official from each of the four administrative sections.

19.5.2 Elections. All committee members shall be elected by those officials who are registered and in good standing in that sport and who are in attendance at the mandatory FHSAA Rules Clinics.

19.5.3 Term. Each elected member of the committee shall serve a term of three years and shall not be eligible to immediately succeed himself/herself. A rotation of terms shall be established to ensure that not more than one-half of the elected members’ terms expire in any given year.